The Manitoba Metis Federation Doesn't Want You To See This
Mar 02, 2010“ Selected excerpts from Clare Pieuk's explosive "9-11" affidavit concerning potential waste of taxpayer monies and financial misconduct by the Manitoba Metis Federation. ”
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(ePrintWire.Org) – AFFIDAVIT OF CLARE L. PIEUK
I, Clare L. Pieuk of the City of Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba MAKE OATH AND SAY THAT:
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9. The consolidated financial reports of the MMF for the year ending March 31, 2005 indicated a deficit of $7,528.
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20. Prior to the March 26, 2003 Manitoba Metis Federation general election I received copies of 11 signed, endorsed and cashed cheques totaling approximately $88,000 drawn on an account at the Me-Dian Credit Union located at 102-338 Broadway Avenue in the City of Winnipeg.
All were dated sometime during the first two weeks of March, 2003 and co-signed by two Directors of the MMF’s Winnipeg Regional Office’s Board of Directors. They included:
(i) 2 - Plaintiff Claire Riddle ($2,000; $6,000)
(ii) 1 - Edward Ducharme at the time Winnipeg Regional Vice-President ($50,000)
(iii) 2 - Andrew Carrier former Winnipeg Regional Office Director ($2,000; $6,000)
(iv) 1 - Devona Voss former Winnipeg Regional Office staff member ($5,000)
(v) 1 - Edward Ducharme’s wife ($5,000)
(vi) 2 - Plaintiff David Chartrand proceeds from an election campaign golf tournament fundraiser the WRO organized on his behalf
(vii) 1 – Winnipeg Regional Office contract employee ($2,000)
I am unable to recall any others.
21. Co-Defendant Belhumeur is aware of the existence of these cheques having posted them on his website cybersmokesignals.com.
22. During April 2003 newly elected Winnipeg Regional Vice-President Ron Chartrand wrote to Plaintiff David Chartrand, copies sent to the then MMF Provincial Board of Directors, a one-page letter advising them a recent audit of the WRO had uncovered the existence of several questionable cheques inquiring whether they were “bonuses.”
23. Shortly thereafter ,Plaintiff David Chartrand wrote to Ron Chartrand advising him more particularization would be required regarding the matter and that he should contact MMF lawyer Murray Trachtenberg.
24. During 2003 Bernie Shore, Head Accountant for the Manitoba Metis Federation, sent approximately 60 form letters to MMF staff and officials requesting it be signed and returned if they agreed with the amount shown as owing in travel advance monies. The total was over $111,000. Plaintiff John Fleury had the largest outstanding sum at over $19,000. Plaintiffs David Chartrand and Elbert Chartrand were cited for in excess of $13,000 and $8,000 respectively. I do verily believe Plaintiff Riddle was also on the list as may have been other Plaintiffs.
25. During 2003 Plaintiff William Flett wrote to Plaintiff David Chartrand’s Executive Assistant (Ms Cindy Miller) requesting a meeting with the MMF President. Plaintiff Jack Park had turned off his cellular telephone and was unreachable to sign some documents. In his memorandum, Plaintiff Flett suggested an issue with alcohol was the likely reason. Further, it was not the first time this situation had occurred.
26. Upon subsequently discussing the document’s contents with Mr. Belhumeur he advised Plaintiff Park had two impaired driving convictions which necessitated him being driven to MMF Board of Directors Meetings.
27. During 2003 in a 2-3 page document the MMF’s Finance and Personnel Committee chaired by Plaintiff Elbert Chartrand approved an agreement whereby Plaintiff David Chartrand would be insured under the terms of coverage provided by The Great-West Life Assurance Company. Should Plaintiff Chartrand leave Office due to illness, election defeat or other reason(s) it held a surrender value, I do verily believe, of approximately $45,000.
ARTICLE XV MISCELLANEOUS of the MMF Constitution ratified by the 37th Annual General Assembly on September 11, 2005 at Point 2 Page 8 states in part: “….. No person elected to office shall by reason only of having failed to be re-elected to such office be entitled to any further or other notice or any severance pay or other employee benefit.”
28. On either December 13 or 14, 2004 Plaintiff David Chartrand wrote (1-page letter) to Lionel Chartrand asking if he were interested in entering into a retainer agreement to provide the Manitoba Metis Federation with legal advice regarding Aboriginal hunting and gathering rights. If so, MMF lawyer Murray Trachtenberg would draft a document for his (i.e. Lionel Chartrand’s) approval.
29. A 3-4 page agreement was subsequently tendered which, among other considerations, called for a monthly payment of $2,500 as a retainer to Mr. Lionel Chartrand. It contained unidentified handwritten comments suggesting it was a draft version.
At some point thereafter, I was told by Mr. Yvon Dumont, and do verily believe, when Plaintiff David Chartrand eventually became aware of the extent of Mr. L. Chartrand’s involvement in authoring the allegedly defamatory petition he severely reduced the monthly payments leaving an upaid balance of approximately $30,000.
30. A faxed invoice for $8,025 sent by St. Andrews, Manitoba painter Agnes Jorgensen for an oil self- portrait of former Prime Minister Paul Martin the MMF had commissioned. Reference, Metis present painting to PM by Winnipeg Free Press reporter David Kuxhaus (September 13, 2004, Page A4).
31. On or about this time, two internal MMF telephone messages from artist Jorgensen requesting:
(i) Plaintiff David Chartrand’s opinion of her portrait
(ii) Inquiring as to if or when an official presentation would be made to Mr. Martin
To the best of my knowledge no public presentation occured.
32 Prior to and during the February 2006 federal election campaign, Plaintiff David Chartrand publicly endorsed Liberal Party of Canada Leader and then Prime Minister Paul Martin using resources of the publicly funded Manitoba Metis Federation to provide rides to polling stations and other considerations for voters supporting LPC candidates. Several documents were turned over to Counselor Trachtenberg clearly establishing the MMF’s inappropriate involvement in this regard.
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34. Minutes of a 2003 MMF Provincial Board of Directors Meeting in which a decision was made to apply for a short-term bridge financing loan from its “so-called” arms-length affiliate The Louis Riel Capital Corporation which has the mandate of providing small business loans to Manitoba’s Metis and Non-Status Indian citizens. The situation was occasioned by the federal government’s announcement it would no longer allow such organizations to carry over unspent monies to a subsequent fiscal year.
35. I was told by Terry Belhumeur, and do verily believe, when Aboriginal Business Canada’s Winnipeg Office subsequently became aware of said transaction it intervened forcing immediate repayment of the loan. LRCC was founded approximately 15 years ago by ABC which is embedded within Industry Canada. It supplied the initial start up loan capital and operational monies.
36. An exchange of correspondence between Counselor Trachtneberg and law firm Aikins’ Jonathan Kroft retained by Lionel Chartrand shortly after he received the February 9, 2004 defamation warning letter. Mr. Trachtenberg questioned Mr. L. Chartrand’s expertise in the area of Aboriginal hunting rights while Mr. Kroft suggested it would not be in the MMF’s best interest to proceed with their litigation given the potential for dirty laundry being washed in public.
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39. Invoices submitted to the MMF by Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter who represented fisher Mary Heilda Boucher convicted under Manitoba’s Wildlife Act for illegally using Plaintiff David Chartrand’s commercial fishing nets during March 2003 prior to the Federation’s general election (March 26, 2003)
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SWORN BEFORE ME at the City of Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba, this 11th day of September, 2009.
____________________________________________
A Notary Public in and for the Province of Manitoba.
_______________________________
CLARE L. PIEUK
I, Clare L. Pieuk of the City of Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba MAKE OATH AND SAY THAT:
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9. The consolidated financial reports of the MMF for the year ending March 31, 2005 indicated a deficit of $7,528.
---
20. Prior to the March 26, 2003 Manitoba Metis Federation general election I received copies of 11 signed, endorsed and cashed cheques totaling approximately $88,000 drawn on an account at the Me-Dian Credit Union located at 102-338 Broadway Avenue in the City of Winnipeg.
All were dated sometime during the first two weeks of March, 2003 and co-signed by two Directors of the MMF’s Winnipeg Regional Office’s Board of Directors. They included:
(i) 2 - Plaintiff Claire Riddle ($2,000; $6,000)
(ii) 1 - Edward Ducharme at the time Winnipeg Regional Vice-President ($50,000)
(iii) 2 - Andrew Carrier former Winnipeg Regional Office Director ($2,000; $6,000)
(iv) 1 - Devona Voss former Winnipeg Regional Office staff member ($5,000)
(v) 1 - Edward Ducharme’s wife ($5,000)
(vi) 2 - Plaintiff David Chartrand proceeds from an election campaign golf tournament fundraiser the WRO organized on his behalf
(vii) 1 – Winnipeg Regional Office contract employee ($2,000)
I am unable to recall any others.
21. Co-Defendant Belhumeur is aware of the existence of these cheques having posted them on his website cybersmokesignals.com.
22. During April 2003 newly elected Winnipeg Regional Vice-President Ron Chartrand wrote to Plaintiff David Chartrand, copies sent to the then MMF Provincial Board of Directors, a one-page letter advising them a recent audit of the WRO had uncovered the existence of several questionable cheques inquiring whether they were “bonuses.”
23. Shortly thereafter ,Plaintiff David Chartrand wrote to Ron Chartrand advising him more particularization would be required regarding the matter and that he should contact MMF lawyer Murray Trachtenberg.
24. During 2003 Bernie Shore, Head Accountant for the Manitoba Metis Federation, sent approximately 60 form letters to MMF staff and officials requesting it be signed and returned if they agreed with the amount shown as owing in travel advance monies. The total was over $111,000. Plaintiff John Fleury had the largest outstanding sum at over $19,000. Plaintiffs David Chartrand and Elbert Chartrand were cited for in excess of $13,000 and $8,000 respectively. I do verily believe Plaintiff Riddle was also on the list as may have been other Plaintiffs.
25. During 2003 Plaintiff William Flett wrote to Plaintiff David Chartrand’s Executive Assistant (Ms Cindy Miller) requesting a meeting with the MMF President. Plaintiff Jack Park had turned off his cellular telephone and was unreachable to sign some documents. In his memorandum, Plaintiff Flett suggested an issue with alcohol was the likely reason. Further, it was not the first time this situation had occurred.
26. Upon subsequently discussing the document’s contents with Mr. Belhumeur he advised Plaintiff Park had two impaired driving convictions which necessitated him being driven to MMF Board of Directors Meetings.
27. During 2003 in a 2-3 page document the MMF’s Finance and Personnel Committee chaired by Plaintiff Elbert Chartrand approved an agreement whereby Plaintiff David Chartrand would be insured under the terms of coverage provided by The Great-West Life Assurance Company. Should Plaintiff Chartrand leave Office due to illness, election defeat or other reason(s) it held a surrender value, I do verily believe, of approximately $45,000.
ARTICLE XV MISCELLANEOUS of the MMF Constitution ratified by the 37th Annual General Assembly on September 11, 2005 at Point 2 Page 8 states in part: “….. No person elected to office shall by reason only of having failed to be re-elected to such office be entitled to any further or other notice or any severance pay or other employee benefit.”
28. On either December 13 or 14, 2004 Plaintiff David Chartrand wrote (1-page letter) to Lionel Chartrand asking if he were interested in entering into a retainer agreement to provide the Manitoba Metis Federation with legal advice regarding Aboriginal hunting and gathering rights. If so, MMF lawyer Murray Trachtenberg would draft a document for his (i.e. Lionel Chartrand’s) approval.
29. A 3-4 page agreement was subsequently tendered which, among other considerations, called for a monthly payment of $2,500 as a retainer to Mr. Lionel Chartrand. It contained unidentified handwritten comments suggesting it was a draft version.
At some point thereafter, I was told by Mr. Yvon Dumont, and do verily believe, when Plaintiff David Chartrand eventually became aware of the extent of Mr. L. Chartrand’s involvement in authoring the allegedly defamatory petition he severely reduced the monthly payments leaving an upaid balance of approximately $30,000.
30. A faxed invoice for $8,025 sent by St. Andrews, Manitoba painter Agnes Jorgensen for an oil self- portrait of former Prime Minister Paul Martin the MMF had commissioned. Reference, Metis present painting to PM by Winnipeg Free Press reporter David Kuxhaus (September 13, 2004, Page A4).
31. On or about this time, two internal MMF telephone messages from artist Jorgensen requesting:
(i) Plaintiff David Chartrand’s opinion of her portrait
(ii) Inquiring as to if or when an official presentation would be made to Mr. Martin
To the best of my knowledge no public presentation occured.
32 Prior to and during the February 2006 federal election campaign, Plaintiff David Chartrand publicly endorsed Liberal Party of Canada Leader and then Prime Minister Paul Martin using resources of the publicly funded Manitoba Metis Federation to provide rides to polling stations and other considerations for voters supporting LPC candidates. Several documents were turned over to Counselor Trachtenberg clearly establishing the MMF’s inappropriate involvement in this regard.
---
34. Minutes of a 2003 MMF Provincial Board of Directors Meeting in which a decision was made to apply for a short-term bridge financing loan from its “so-called” arms-length affiliate The Louis Riel Capital Corporation which has the mandate of providing small business loans to Manitoba’s Metis and Non-Status Indian citizens. The situation was occasioned by the federal government’s announcement it would no longer allow such organizations to carry over unspent monies to a subsequent fiscal year.
35. I was told by Terry Belhumeur, and do verily believe, when Aboriginal Business Canada’s Winnipeg Office subsequently became aware of said transaction it intervened forcing immediate repayment of the loan. LRCC was founded approximately 15 years ago by ABC which is embedded within Industry Canada. It supplied the initial start up loan capital and operational monies.
36. An exchange of correspondence between Counselor Trachtneberg and law firm Aikins’ Jonathan Kroft retained by Lionel Chartrand shortly after he received the February 9, 2004 defamation warning letter. Mr. Trachtenberg questioned Mr. L. Chartrand’s expertise in the area of Aboriginal hunting rights while Mr. Kroft suggested it would not be in the MMF’s best interest to proceed with their litigation given the potential for dirty laundry being washed in public.
---
39. Invoices submitted to the MMF by Duboff Edwards Haight & Schachter who represented fisher Mary Heilda Boucher convicted under Manitoba’s Wildlife Act for illegally using Plaintiff David Chartrand’s commercial fishing nets during March 2003 prior to the Federation’s general election (March 26, 2003)
---
SWORN BEFORE ME at the City of Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba, this 11th day of September, 2009.
____________________________________________
A Notary Public in and for the Province of Manitoba.
_______________________________
CLARE L. PIEUK
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| Released By | Jeff Niederhoffer |
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